Sunday, November 30, 2014

Advent calls us to live in hope that God is with us today, to trust that the kingdom of God is at hand. So we stay awake, and keep watching for signs of God’s coming and presence in our lives and in the world.Vicar Meagan McLaughlin First Sunday of Advent Texts: Isaiah 64:1-9, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Mark 13:24-37

Grace and peace to you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

I can still feel the anticipation that filled me as a child when Thanksgiving came, and I knew Christmas was “just around the corner.” When we were expecting company, I would watch from the couch in our living room, because it had a great view of the street and I would be able to see the guests arriving. I spent the entire month of December, figuratively speaking, leaning over the back of the couch, trying to make the time go faster! I was desperately curious about all the details of the parties being planned—what food would be served, when my cousins would come in from out of town, what service we would attend at church, what Santa would bring me, and could I please, please, please go along when my dad went to pick up my grandmother and great aunts? Every minute seemed like an hour, hours like days, days like weeks. Christmas was all I could think about, and at the same time it felt like it would never get there. Advent is a time to follow what Jesus calls us to do in Mark—stay awake, keep watch, and I certainly had that down, even if I was more focused on parties and presents than the birth of Jesus!

Time has changed since then, or perhaps, it is my perception that has changed. Now rather than being painfully slow, the month of December flies by so quickly that I hardly have time to realize that it’s Advent before suddenly here it is—Christmas Eve. Being who I am, I am always prepared, at least in one sense. The presents are bought and wrapped, the tree trimmed, food for the family meal prepared. But spiritually and emotionally, I am always taken by surprise when Christmas comes. I spend more time on my to do list and less time leaning over the back of the couch, and as the years go by I find myself yearning for the time I spent as a child simply anticipating.

Our effort to be present and wait during Advent is certainly not helped when we have to walk past several aisles of Christmas decorations in the store in order to get to the Halloween costumes in mid-October, all the while listening to Deck the Halls and Frosty the Snowman piped through the sound system. Everything around us seems to call us to a flurry of activity . . . . buy, bake, order, send, and hurry up because time is running out! And of course, it is important to do the things necessary to get ready to welcome and celebrate with family and friends. But in the midst of all of this activity, on top of the regular daily life that continues, it is easy to forget that Advent is about waiting, and it is particularly easy to forget what we are waiting for.

So, what are we waiting for? The obvious answer is that Advent is a season of waiting for Christmas, Jesus’ birth. But it is so much more than the birth of a baby that we await. God, in all God’s fullness—the God who, as Isaiah described, makes the mountains quake, the God who Mark tells us has the power to make the sun dark and the stars fall, the God of all creation—came to live with us in the messiness of life in the person of Jesus. We remember not just the historical event of Jesus’ birth, but the reality of God’s presence and work in us and in the world, here and now. Advent is a time to remember that God is with us today, a time to live in hope.

When we look at the world, it can sometimes be really challenging to have hope. All we need to do is read the headlines to see evidence of pain, suffering, and evil in the world. This week in Ferguson, Missouri, and cities all over the country, we see fear, anger, even rage in the wake of the grand jury decision to exonerate Police Officer Darren Wilson of Michael Brown’s death. Just a mile down the road from here, thousands of people rallied for hours on Tuesday night, calling for justice. If we listen, we hear stories of those who live in fear, who have experienced the daily threat of discrimination, who can’t ever forget that they are treated differently in countless ways because of the color of their skin. If we listen, we hear stories of those who commit themselves to protecting others, often putting themselves at risk, and know daily the reality that they or someone they love may not come home. Setting aside guilt or innocence, right or wrong, justified or unjustified, in these events the damage and grief of centuries of systemic racism has been brought fully to the surface. We are all impacted, in one way or another. It is overwhelming, and it is hard not to turn away, to minimize the pain. Today, on the first Sunday of Advent, we take a few minutes to hear these voices, and ask the question of how we can have hope, and see God at work, in the midst of it all.

The pain of this world is not new. In the verses before our passage from Mark, Jesus describes war, betrayal, murder, destruction. And he encourages his followers, promising that nothing is too much for God to overcome. With the psalmist, we can bring the brokenness of our communities, and our own pain and brokenness, to God, and cry out—“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, shine forth. Stir up your might, and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.”

The miracle of the hope we have in Advent is that we are waiting on a God who has never turned away from our pain. As Christians today, whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, whatever challenges we face, we await the birth of Jesus knowing the rest of the story—Jesus lived, taught, challenged, loved, forgave, healed, called. And Jesus died—and rose again. Death was not the last word then, and it is not the last word today. Jesus transformed people’s lives, and we are invited to put ourselves completely in God’s hands, like clay ready to be formed by the potter, willing to be changed, to be made new.

In Advent, we are called to live in hope that God is with us today, to trust that the kingdom of God is at hand. Waiting, anticipating, living in hope don’t easily find their way onto our “to do lists,” but in this moment, for this season, it is the most important thing for us to do. We don’t know the day or the hour when the kingdom of God will be fully accomplished, but we can keep watch, and if we do, we will see glimpses of it. We can see God at work in the world in the way people love and care for each other, in voices courageously speaking truths that are hard to hear, in the beauty of creation. And we can call out like a watchperson—Hey, look, there it is, God is here, did you see it?—so those around us will also know that we have great reason for hope. We are called to witness to God’s presence by being the hands and feet of God in the world ourselves, by showing God’s love and care for others and calling for justice where it is due, so others can see God at work through us. And most of all, we can put our trust in God, who sends Jesus to show us that we are never alone.

I plan to spend a lot of time leaning over the back of the couch this Advent, anticipating God’s coming into the world anew. I invite you to join me, so we can support each other in our commitment to take seriously the call to keep watch for the presence of God in our midst. We don’t know the day or the hour, but there is plenty of room on the couch, and it has a great view.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

I have a daily journal. It asks one different question a day. I am now on my second year of this journal, and it is rewarding to see my answers from the previous year. Through the pages of this journal I can see snapshots of where I was, my frame of mind, and how I viewed my life. I will share with you that a year ago I was not doing incredibly well. Even through so many things were going well, there was a sense of frustration and impatience wrapped up in the difficulty of job searching and feeling inadequate. Many of my friends were also experiencing this, and what I continued to see is that we were aware of, but not experiencing, the peace that comes with trusting God’s plan for our lives. We were quite sure that we were just victims of a tough economy and had to simply keep trying.

Now with many days past and a winding trail of defeats and victories behind me, I smiled when the other night my journal asked the question, “what is your dream job?” What an amazing feeling of gratitude to write down, “I have my dream job!” after such a time of questioning and exasperation. Each day I share in the generosity and goodwill of this congregation towards their neighbors and community. I meet with people in their need, speak with them, and provide some small piece of relief with a blessing that is carried out the door and to God knows where in their life. Finding myself in such a different place this year has allowed me to reflect on the twisting path that brought me to right now, and see God’s presence that was simply molding my life like clay.

We cannot know what is ahead, but we can see what is behind us and reflect. As we enter into Advent, where much of the purpose is to be prepared for what is to come, let us also acknowledge the path that brings us to this day. Where is there evidence of God’s faithfulness through the impatience, the struggles, the doubting, and also in the joys and triumphs? What will your daily journal say in a year from now when it asks, “what is God working on in your life?”

Bring non-perishable food items to help re-stock local food shelves. Monetary donations are especially welcome! Each dollar spent by Second Harvest can obtain approximately 7 pounds of food. The average retail cost of a pound of food is $2.41. At retail price, the same 7 pounds of food would cost approximately $17. In other words, $1 spent = $17 in retail value.

The entire offering received at the Eucharist on Thanksgiving Day will be given to Sabathani Community Center and Community Emergency Services.

Advent Procession ServiceThis Sunday, November 30, 4:00 pm

As the year turns toward its darkest point, the Church also gathers in hope for the coming of the Light of the world.

In this Advent service of prayer and Word, song, and incense, Mount Olive’s Cantorei lead worshippers into this season of preparation and anticipation. Come, and wait, and see.
Advent Procession is sponsored by Mount Olive Music & Fine Arts.

Seniors’ Advent Luncheon to be Held This Wednesday, December 3
Attention seniors!

Have you received your invitation to the annual Advent Luncheon? If you are age 65 or older and haven’t received an invitation, you’re invited, too! (It just means we don’t have your birth date.) Please call the church office and we will add you to the list of our senior members, and to the list of those who plan to come to this fun annual event.

Book Discussion Group’s Upcoming Reads
For their meeting on December 13, the Book Discussion group will read Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. For the meeting on January 17, (postponed one week because of the Conference on Liturgy) they will read, The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield.

The Book of Esther: Thursday Evening Bible Study Continues
Vicar McLaughlin is currently leading a study on the Book of Esther, exploring the historical context and many issues raised in this book, including justice, violence, power and privilege, the role of women, the presence of God, and what it means to be called “for such a time as this.”

This study meets in the Chapel Lounge on Thursday evenings, beginning with a light supper at 6:00 pm.

This Bible study runs through December 18.There will be no study on Thanks-giving.

Annual Conference on Liturgy: “Common Ground: Hearing the Word Through the Lectionary”Friday–Saturday, January 9-10, 2015
Each Sunday at Eucharist, Christians of many different traditions gather to be fed by Word and Sacrament and share the same readings from Scripture. In the Revised Common Lectionary there is a visible sign of the unity of the Church for those who know they encounter the same Word of God each week with their sisters and brothers in many places.

This year at Mount Olive’s annual Conference on Liturgy we will explore the richness of this shared, “common” tradition, consider the ways that the use of a common lectionary can bless the life of the parish, and ask questions of its place in the present and future life of the churches who use it.

The keynote speaker this year is Dr. Gail Ramshaw; workshop presenters will be Pastor Joseph Crippen, The Rev. John Setterlund, and Dr. Paul Westermeyer.

Registration fee for Mount Olive members is $35/person.

Capital Campaign Update
We have surpassed the $90,000 dollar amount raised toward fully funding our designated accounts and creating a cash reserve to assist us during the "ups and downs" of revenue from offerings. Thanks to those of you who have pledged and/or donated. If you have not already done so, please consider a gift or a pledge before the end of the year, when we will wrap up this campaign. Please note - pledges received in 2014 can continue to be paid in 2015.

Weekly Centering Prayer begins December 3
Centering prayer, a silent acknowledging of the presence of the Divine, begins December 3, at 6:15 p.m. in the library. Format will begin with a short reading from the Psalms, followed by 20 minutes of silence. We will end with a few moments to come together for a closing prayer.

New to the process? Look for brochures in the rack by the glass display case to get a more detailed description.

Plan on joining us on Wednesday evenings during Advent for Centering Prayer, December 3, 10, and 17.

Staff Christmas Gifts
The six people who work at Mount Olive serve us and God in many and exciting ways. At a recent congregational meeting I stated that it feels as though Mount Olive is "humming on all cylinders" right now, and that is due in large part to our capable and faithful Pastor Joseph, Vicar Meagan, Cantor David, Neighborhood Ministries Coordinator Anna, Administrative Assistant Cha and Sexton William. Every year we provide a special Christmas gift for them, and we want to remind you of that opportunity again. Please submit your monetary gifts to the church office or in the offering plate. Checks should have "Staff Christmas Gift" noted on the memo line. The congregation has been very generous in the past, and I thank you in advance for your gifts this year.

Immerse yourself in the beauty and majesty of the Basilica of Saint Mary for the National Lutheran Choir’s signature Christmas Festival Concert. During this busy season of parties, shopping and rushing around, take time to reflect upon the true meaning of Christmas through sacred song, poetry and readings.

Tickets: $28 Adult, $25 Senior, $10 Student, age 17 and under FREE. For tickets or more information call (888) 747-4589, or visit www.nlca.com

Getting to Know You
Part of sharing in community is understanding one another through language, culture, or experience. As we explore our community and get to know our neighbors, let's start with some helpful language lessons. English: Happy Thanksgiving Spanish: Feliz Día de Acción de Gracias (Fey-leez Dee-ah day ax-see-ohn day grah-see-ahs)

Go out and be fearlessly friendly folks!

La Natividad
Here is a wonderful neighborhood participation opportunity to witness the nativity story come alive in our own neighborhood! In the Heart of the Beast Theater, along with St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, will present LA NATIVIDAD - a bilingual telling of the Christmas story. Audience members move with the puppet actors and process with Maria and Jose as they seek shelter. The show moves from Lake Street to St. Paul's for the Nativity and celebration with music and food.

A Note of Thanks
A big thank you to the following people who participated in the altar/chancel cleaning activity this past Saturday: Altar Guild members - Peggy Hoeft, Beth Gaede, Elisabeth Hunt, Bonnie McLellan, Mary Dorow, Lynn Ruff, Timm Lindholm, and Steve Pranschke; and to congregational volunteers - Gene Janssen, Janet and Matt Crosby, Eunice Hafemeister, and Arthur Pranschke.

Many hands did indeed make light work. Plus, we had an enjoyable conversation during the coffee break. Thank you all.

- Steve Pranschke

Mount Olive Christmas Cards
There are still some of the Mount Olive Christmas cards available for sale this year. The cards cost $2.50 each if you buy 5 or less. If you buy 6 or more they are $1.75 each. The cards are available in the church office and will be available Sunday mornings. Please contact Paul Nixdorf or Andrew Andersen with any questions.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

These parables are full of surprises: grace to those who don’t deserve it, truth about where we find Christ in our lives, and, most of all, a King who becomes a servant to save the world.Pr. Joseph G. Crippen Christ the King, Last Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 34 A texts: Matthew 25:31-46 (referring to all of Matthew 25, plus some more)

Sisters and brothers in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Did you notice both groups of the King’s servants were surprised at the truth?

Both wanted to serve their King, care for him; neither knew how. The only difference is one group took care of people with needs, one did not. The last day brings a stunning surprise when they are called before their King, who tells them the truth. “We had no idea,” they all say.

This surprise is only one of a number of surprises these judgment parables we’ve heard lately spring, things that aren’t what they seem, situations that don’t turn out as we expect. If we’ve struggled with these stories, feared them, it’s because, like the servants of the King, we’re not in on the surprise.

We could be. Everything we need to understand the truth of these parables, of our relationship to our Lord, of life and death and eternal existence, is given us, if only we look.

So let’s look.

We start with this first surprise.

It’s remarkable: in the 25 years I’ve studied these parables, discussed them, taught them, heard others speak about them, most of the time people want to talk about the judgment, the sentencing. If the actions called for today are mentioned, it’s related to the threat. People say “do these or else, that’s what Jesus is saying,” or people won’t consider living in this way, frozen in their fear. Most reading these parables come away scared, worried, or self-righteous.

If you insist on focusing on the judgment, the “eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,” fine. Then notice what Jesus has given us. In this insider parable, Jesus has told his disciples, his followers, the very people who, like the ones in the parable, want to serve their King, precisely what they need to do to do that, and avoid judgment.

I don’t believe Jesus is threatening us here. But if you insist on that, know this: you have the answers to the final exam. If there’s going to be a judgment such as this, none of us will be the second group. None of us. We’re not going to be surprised, that’s our surprise today.

We, unlike they, know exactly where our King is. In the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned. So even if you fear this judgment, this fire, you’ve got all you need to avoid it: take care of the least of these.

But the next surprise is that the judgment itself is not to be feared.

A few chapters earlier Jesus tells this story of the kingdom: there was an owner who hired people to work in his vineyard. The first at 6 a.m. were promised a full day’s pay. During the day he hires more, because there’s more work. With less than an hour to sunset, he gets a few more. At the end of the day, everyone gets a full day’s pay, regardless of their work.

Do you see? Those who take care of the “least of these” for decades are no better off at the judgment than those who do it only a little. In other words, if we have the answers to the final, in Matthew 22 Jesus says he’s throwing out the final results, everyone’s getting an A. Everyone. Even those who sat around all day. That’s a shock.

Now, we don’t mind if we get slack from Jesus. But if (in our opinion) we are prepared bridesmaids, slaves faithful with our God-given gifts, folks who care for the least of these, we can be less than thrilled if someone who doesn’t do much also gets a free pass of grace in the end.

“Are you envious because I am generous?” the owner says in that parable. “Can’t I do with my wealth what I want?” That’s the point: God’s generosity is for all, even us. Because let’s be honest: none of us works a full day, we all fall short.

As Jesus dies on the cross he takes all of our tests, all of our work, all we have done, good and bad, and throws it out. He says, “I’ll take care of this. I’ll love you all.” We see it almost right away after the resurrection when he first re-claims all his faithless disciples and names them as his chief witnesses and leaders in bringing God’s grace to the world.

The cross also reveals we don’t need to fear the authority figure.

That’s a big problem we have here. The groom says “I don’t know you.” The master kicks out the third slave and gives his talent to the first, and slave-owner is hardly a nice model for God. The King says that because some of his followers didn’t know or do, well, they can go to you know where. None of these sounds like someone to be trusted, let alone loved.

If we look only at these three parables we miss the biggest surprise of the whole Gospel: Jesus, the Son of God, consistently flips our expectations about being our Lord upside down. When the disciples fight over which is greatest, Jesus reminds them, only a few chapters earlier, they are to serve each other, because that’s what he does. “The Son of Man,” he says, “came to serve, not to be served.”

Now do you see? The slaveowner of the second parable becomes a slave himself and dies in service. The bridegroom gives his life for his neglectful, unprepared friends. The king ascends his royal throne, only it’s a cross, and he is crowned by being tortured to death.

None of these parables make sense if we read them alone. They’re told to disciples, to us, and we only understand when we stay with the Storyteller through the cross and the empty tomb. So yes, in these stories we are called to serve others, use our gifts, be prepared. But only because our King, Master, and Groom is already on his knees doing it himself.

Have you had enough surprises? Here’s a big one. If we stop fearing the authority, and quit obsessing on the judgment, we actually find the point of these parables.

The largest amount of words in these parables, the bulk of what is said, is our Lord and King inviting us to join him in bringing life to the world. Asking us to prepare for his coming reign by making it happen in our lives. Asking us to use the gifts we’ve been given for the sake of the reign of God. Asking us to expect to see our Lord in the eyes of those in need, and to expect such relationships to bless us in return.

Now that we know we need not fear our Lord, we begin to see these stories for what they are: our Lord’s gracious call to be of service as his followers. What if we let go of our fear and anxiety and were just that?

The biggest surprise is that we’re surprised at all.

Everything we’ve ever seen in Jesus should have shown this path to us. None of these calls to action are surprises, given Jesus’ other teaching and life we’ve heard and known. Fear of the judgment should never have been our obsession, given Jesus’ death and resurrection. We live trusting in God’s free and undeserved grace given us through Christ Jesus, not in terror of God.

We shouldn’t be surprised by this, but that’s OK. The only question is, will we follow our King and Lord into this path of love and service for the sake of the world, trusting grace and forgiveness will be what he has said, trusting the path of sacrificial love will bless us as much as those we love, trusting we are in the hands of the Triune God who only hopes that we will join all God’s children in restoring this earth to what it was created to be.

The vision of what we could be, living as these parables invite, is thrilling to imagine. I can’t wait to see what happens next as we mature into this life.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

I am a planner, from way back. I decide where I’m going, and then determine the precise steps needed to get there. My concept of letting God guide me often looks like this: “OK, God, tell me where I’m going. I’m going to plug it into my GPS to get the fastest route from here to there. What? We’re going where? I’m not so sure I agree with that ... ” The idea of following where God leads, one step at a time, without knowing where I will end up or how I will get there, is terrifying!

Sheep see things a little differently. Unlike humans, sheep seem to have little concern for knowing where they are going, how they will get there, or what they will do when they arrive. Sheep stick together, and follow the shepherd, trusting that they are taken care of. When they get lost, the shepherd finds them and leads them back to the flock. The sheep know their shepherd will feed, protect, and guide them along the way.

In this week’s readings, we are called to be like sheep on the journey with one another and God, living in the moment and trusting our shepherd. Knowing God as shepherd means that God is not off in the distance, but right there in the messiness of life with us. As we travel, we are called to stick together, and care for each other in very concrete ways—visiting those in prison, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked. It’s expected that we will get off the path sometimes, and our shepherd is right there with us, to help us find our way again.

When I travel this journey with God as my shepherd, it’s not about getting where I planned to go, finding my way quickly, and not getting lost. It’s about being present to the shepherd, and my fellow sheep, on the journey.

This Sunday’s Adult Forum: November 23:
“Introduction to the Gospel of Mark,” part 3 of a 3-part series presented by Pastor Crippen.

Lefse!
All Mount Olive children and/or young people (and their families!) are invited to an afternoon of lefse-making at our house this coming Sunday, November 23! Please call Karen Cherwien for details: 507-766-5033.

Praying for Others: Strands of Hope Necklace-Making Event
If you have been interested in the prayer shawl ministry but are not a knitter, this Strands of Hope necklace-making event might be a wonderful alternative for you. Using a kit of their color choice, participants will make a necklace to give to a person as a gift of encouragement, hope, or a heart to heart connection. As we add the beads to the strand we will intentionally pray for that person. Participants also make it for themselves to wear in memory of a dear one or in celebration of a special life event. If you don't have a person in mind but would like to participate, sign up and we'll help find a member of the church or community to receive your necklace. Cost is $14.

The event will be on November 21, 6:30 - 8:30 pm at Mount Olive. Instructor and refreshments provided. No jewelry making experience necessary. RSVP to Julie Manuel by November 20 to julie.a.manuel@gmail.com.

Book Discussion Group’s Upcoming Reads
For their meeting on December 13, the Book Discussion group will read Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. For the meeting on January 17, (postponed one week because of the Conference on Liturgy) they will read, The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield.

The Book of Esther: Thursday Evening Bible Study Continues
The second Thursday Bible study series of this year began on November 6, and runs for six weeks in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00-7:30 pm. (We will skip Thanksgiving).

Vicar McLaughlin is leading a study on the Book of Esther, exploring the historical context and many issues raised in this book, including justice, violence, power and privilege, the role of women, the presence of God, and what it means to be called “for such a time as this.”

Bethania Kids – Serving Children in India
In 1987, Gene Hennig present-ed Mount Olive with the oppor-tunity to support a new mission in India dedicated to reaching out to destitute and orphaned children. We said yes and you continue to support this effort today. Beginning with a handful of kids and a great deal of faith, this effort has steadily grown and expanded. By 2000, Bethania was ministering to over 300. After the 2004 tsunami struck the Indian coast, Bethania responded and today serves over 1,000 children in six locations in the southeast part of the country.

Today there is increased focus on long term support and educa-tion, growing Bethania kids into various vocations through which they become contributing mem-bers to the community. Mount Olive's relationship with Bethania is our longest-standing individual mission, and Gene Hennig continues to serve as an emeritus member of the board. In addition to our budgeted mission contributions, you are invited to become an individual supporter by sponsoring a child.

For more information, go to the Bethania Kids web site at http://bethaniakids.org.

A Note To All Ushers
As we finish our 4th quarter service, we'll be ramping back up into yet another quarter which will include several noon and evening services through the end of March and through Holy Week.

Again this year, we will need dedicated folks who can step up and make an effort to be at each of their assigned services. In the midst of our normal busy schedules, it's understandable that it is difficult to squeeze these extra services in. However, it might be worth considering that this is just part of the contemplative church seasons of winter and that perhaps we could sacrifice a little more time out of those schedules to keep the church central in our lives.

If you are absolutely unable to serve on an assigned day, please secure a substitute prior to the service you are scheduled and let Cha know of the schedule change so that it can be accurately reflected in the bulletin.

Consider Becoming Part of the Usher Corps!
Does it seem that you always see the same faces performing the usher duties at Mount Olive week after week? You're not imagining things. We have a central corps of only 24 Ushers, and of these, only 8 serve at the 8 am liturgy.

Many of our current Ushers are frequent travelers, are already serving at the altar, are working on weekdays, or have regrettably had to retire from the corps. We are in great need of a few new helping hands! Might that be you?! If you're a newer member and looking to become involved and to meet new people, or if you've just always considered helping out with this important task, please let me or anyone in the church office know and we'll have you trained and ushering easily by the 2nd quarter of 2015.

We are especially looking for a couple of folks who prefer starting their day early and helping out at the 8 am service.

- Brian Jacobs, Usher Coordinator

Help Needed!
The Mount Olive Altar Guild is looking for some additional people to help with cleaning the chancel in preparation for the Advent and Christmas season.

The cleaning will take place on Saturday, November 22 between the hours of 9 am and noon. If you are interested in helping, please contact Steve Pranschke at 612-803-0915 or hspranschke@gmail.com.

As the old saying goes, "Many hands make for light work". Please consider being a set of those hands.
Thanks,

- Steve Pranschke

Advent Procession ServiceSunday, November 30, 4:00 pm

As the year turns toward its darkest point, the Church also gathers in hope for the coming of the Light of the world.

In this Advent service of prayer and Word, song, and incense, Mount Olive’s Cantorei lead worshippers into this season of preparation and anticipation. Come, and wait, and see.

Gloves and Such
IT'S HERE!

Cold weather has arrived in Minnesota, and you can help keep precious hands and ears and bodies warm. Please bring new or gently used (and clean) hats, gloves, scarves, and coats to the collection box/area outside the upstairs kitchen.

Thank you.

Vocal Master Class with Vern Sutton to be Held at Mount Olive
Singers from Twin City Voice Academy, Gary Wilson, Artistic Director, will present a Master Class with Vern Sutton at Mount Olive at 3:00 p.m. this Sunday, November 23, 2014. Three of the singers have sung for us at liturgy several times in the past few months. Most of us know Vern Sutton as the great singer/actor from Minneapolis who has entertained and inspired many people for many years. Several years ago, Sir Tyrone Guthrie referred to Vern as the “finest musical theater actor on the American Theater stage.”

Several genres of music will be performed and it will be an enjoyable musical event for all! This event is free and open to the public.

‘Tis (Almost) the Season – to Shop the Art Shoppe
Our mailboxes, newspapers, and online activities are full of gift ideas, so we are already thinking of things to put under the tree! How about something truly unique?

The Art Shoppe has the most unusual and diverse selection of gifts which will delight recipients, all made by local artists. Go to the Midtown Global Market and find the Art Shoppe. Look, buy, and support the artists!

Thanksgiving Day EucharistThursday, Nov. 27, 10:00 a.m.

Help support our food shelves!

Bring non-perishable food items to help re-stock local food shelves. Monetary donations are especially welcome! Each dollar spent by Second Harvest can obtain approximately 7 pounds of food. The average retail cost of a pound of food is $2.41. At retail price, the same 7 pounds of food would cost approximately $17. In other words, $1 spent = $17 in retail value.

The entire offering received at the Eucharist on Thanksgiving D ay will be given to Sabathani Community Center and Community Emergency Services.

Transitions Support Group
All are welcome to drop in and visit the Transitions Support Group to see if this is a place where you might find some solace and reassurance for the challenges or uncertainties that are before you.
This is an opportunity to share in fellowship, prayer, and discussion with others in the Mount Olive community.

Please note the following change in time and location for our next meeting. The next session meets this Saturday, November 22, 9:00 am at the home of Richard & Grace Wiechman, 3120 E. Minnehaha Parkway, Minneapolis. It will be facilitated by Amy Cotter and Cathy Bosworth. If you have questions, please contact Cathy at 612-708-1144 or marcat8447@yahoo.com.

Home Care Holiday Kits for Our Savior’s Housing

Many residents of Our Savior’s Shelter have moved into the permanent Supportive Housing Program. These individuals have struggled with homelessness for years and are now finally settled into their very own apartment, which they are able to maintain with the support of Our Saviour's Housing Case Manage-ment. Holiday Home Care Baskets are a wonderful gift to help ease their budgets and maintain a beautiful and clean home of their own. Suggested items include:

You may also add additional personal and gift items such as socks, gift cards to Rainbow, Target, or Cub Foods, Metro Transit cards, personal hygiene items, candy, cookies, cocoa or snack mix, hats, gloves, slippers, etc. Bring these items to church in a laundry basket or reusable shopping bag, or just bring them to church in a bag or a box and we will prepare baskets with items collected.

Our Saviour’s currently has ninety residents in this program and would happily accept any number of baskets the people of Mount Olive are able to put together!

In order to deliver the baskets to each resident in time for the holidays, we are asking that all baskets be delivered to Mount Olive by Sunday, December 14. You can leave them in the coat room.

Prayer Shawls: “God’s Love In Action” "For the past two years, the Abbott Northwestern Hospital Palliative Care department has had the privilege of receiving beautiful handmade prayer shawls from the Prayer Shawl Ministry at Mount Olive Lutheran Church. I am the chaplain on the Palliative Care team at Abbott and am usually the person who takes the shawls to our patients. Without exception, they are profoundly grateful, especially when I explain that the shawls have been knitted or crocheted with prayers woven into them. And usually when I return to the room the next day, the shawl is either wrapped around the patient or it’s prominently displayed where it can be admired and appreciated by visitors. I can’t count the number of times that I’ve chosen a shawl for someone only to have them or their family say that it’s their favorite color! Last year, the Prayer Shawl Ministry donated a beautiful rainbow-colored blanket to our department. When I saw it, I knew I would save it for just the right person because it seemed to have a special look and feel to it. A couple of months later, we were taking care of a young mother who was dying of cancer. She had a 3-year-old son who was going to be losing his mother so I brought the blanket to her. She absolutely loved it and had her husband take it home for their son. The following week, when the patient was in her final days, her mother told me that her grandson sleeps with the blanket every night because it brings him such comfort and reminds him of his mommy. I am very grateful to the Prayer Shawl Ministry for their generosity. The work they do is a gift to the community and to the hospital. It’s God’s love in action."- Joan Olson, ChaplainAbbott Northwestern Hospital

An Advent Invitation to Centering Prayer

“Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning, that without listening speaking no longer heals, that without distance closeness cannot cure. Somewhere we know that without a lonely place our actions quickly become empty gestures. The careful balance between silence and words, withdrawal and involvement, distance and closeness, solitude and community forms the basis of the Christian life and should therefore be the subject of our most personal attention.”
~ Henri Nouwen, Out of Solitude

Join us for Advent Centering Prayer, the prayer of silence, in the Library each Advent Wednesday starting December 3, at 6:15 pm. Stay for Evening Prayer in the Nave at 7:00 pm. For more information about Centering Prayer, contact Sue Ellen Zagrabelny.

Getting to Know You
Part of sharing in community is understanding one another through language, culture, or experience. As we explore our local community and get to know our neighbors, let's start with some helpful language lessons. Here’s the first!

English: 'Nice to meet you'
Spanish: Mucho gusto (moo-choh goo-stoh)

Go out and be fearlessly friendly folks!

Church Library News
I have heard this quotation before: "A library with strong support is a successful library" and this seems especially apropos to those of us working with our church library ministry here at Mount Olive. We have often prayed that the contents of our library might be a beacon of light and hope in our parishioner's lives and now, just as we are remembering things to be thankful for, comes a recent e-mail from Mount Olive member (and former Book Editor for Augsburg Publishing Co.) Rod Olson. We are so thankful for his kind endorsement of our library and his article is repeated here below:

"Among the treasures of the Mount Olive library is its collection of reference books -- Bibles, commentaries and dictionaries. Many of these books are too expensive for one's personal budget so we are fortunate to have these informative resources as close as our congregation's library. Those who attend the Tuesday noon Bible classes or the Thursday evening studies often have specific items they wish to investigate further. For example, the class on the Book of Esther led by Vicar McLaughlin, introduced members to the Apocrypha, that collection of books placed between the Old and the New Testament in most Bibles. The Apocrypha contains additions to Esther, 107 verses that are not included in the Old Testament book. You can learn about this unusual situation by referring to one of the Bibles in the library that includes the Apocrypha. Many readers are familiar with The Interpreter's Bible published more than 60 years ago. This series has been revised, updated and replaced by the splendid New Interpreter's Bible which will speak to a new generation of Bible students of all ages. Lutheran scholars have produced a very helpful commentary on the New Testament called the Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament. Whenever you have a question about a New Testament book, this would be a good place to start. The 56-volume Luther's Works has long been an honored resident in our library. The very helpful Index Volume will help you find what you are looking for in the massive but always informative work. For those who have questions about significant persons or events from the early days of Christianity to the present will appreciate The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Books like these deserve our gratitude, not only during the thanksgiving season, but all throughout the year. Learn to be grateful for the church library treasure within our midst."

I note the recent passing of a very special lady, Kay Sexton. I was privileged to meet her years ago. Some will remember her as the manager of the first B. Dalton bookstore in Minnesota, the developer of the Hooked on Books reading program for children, and also the creator of the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.

As in the past, I will close this article with a special quotation from Charles W. Eliot of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series: "Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, as well as the most patient of teachers."

Sunday, November 16, 2014

The true nature of the Triune God is known to us first at the cross, and then in the astonishing generosity of love and grace that we learn there; our sharing of that generosity with the world is the path of life and light.Pr. Joseph G. Crippen Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 33 A texts: Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Psalm 90 (all); Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18

Sisters and brothers in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

“Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid.”

That’s the key to everything. “Master, I knew what you were really like, so I was afraid.” In our readings today it’s life or death to know the true nature of our Master. Is God as Zephaniah says? That’s horrifying and frightening to contemplate. There’s not a shred of mercy in the prophet’s words today.

Yet Paul says not to worry, God hasn’t “destined us for wrath.” We are meant to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us, whether we are awake – the way Paul urges us to be – or asleep – the way the people of the world are. Either way, Paul comforts, trust in the death of Christ Jesus and in God’s love.

It’s a drastic difference. There are people of many different faiths who shout with Zephaniah: God is to be feared, punishment is severe. This parable’s end sounds like Jesus is saying that, too. That’s frightening; we thought Jesus loved us.

It feels a lot better to cling to Paul’s words as our lifeline; we’d sleep better at night. But if Paul’s wrong, if in spite of Christ Jesus and his death and resurrection we still need to fear the wrath Zephaniah proclaims and Jesus here seems to endorse, it would be better to face it now, and not trust a false hope.

“Master, I know the truth about you.” The third slave was sure he knew. How can we be sure?

First, remember we can’t take any Scripture out of context, without the rest.

The Bible has at least 66 different books, more with the Apocrypha; we claim them all as God’s Word. Zephaniah has to talk to Paul, who has to talk to Matthew. Matthew’s Gospel has to deal with Mark’s, and Luke’s, and John’s. We don’t ignore any of it, but try, with God’s help, to see God’s connecting Word throughout the entire Scriptures.

None of our voices today has the whole story of God, but together help us see the truth.

So Psalm 90 befriends us as we speak with Zephaniah today. Recognizing that all generations are in God’s hands, the psalmist admits great fear at considering the wrath of God, knows in God’s justifiable anger we cannot live. But the psalmist moves beyond the fear Zephaniah raises in us: “Return, O LORD, how long will you delay?” we sang. “Be gracious and come to us, give us your steadfast love.”

Unlike the third slave, the psalmist invites us to look deeper into God’s heart, past the wrath, and say, “Master, I know the truth about you, that you are good and gracious and loving. That’s what I will trust, instead of fearing your anger.” This end of Psalm 90 leads right into the heart of Paul’s proclamation, and Paul’s claim rests on the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That’s the real path to the truth. Because of the cross of Christ, we can’t ever read any judgment of God in Scripture the same.

Whatever Zephaniah meant in his time, he absolutely means something different now. On the cross the Son of God enters that judgment and suffering, enters our evil. Whatever God tells the prophets to warn, it becomes God who goes into the heart of that judgment in person.

Consider what it means in this parable that “outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth,” is precisely where Jesus goes. That’s where we find him, at the end of the parable with the outcasts, sinners, wretches. With us, if we’re in that dark place of fear. We can’t forget the cross and panic whenever we hear verse 30.

The third slave also feared his master would take things that didn’t belong to him, things he didn’t earn. He was right, if we’re talking about Jesus. “Reaping where you did not sow, gathering where you did not scatter seed”? That is the truth of the cross. Everything Jesus “harvests” at the cross, pain, suffering, abandonment, torture, sorrow, death, all grow from seeds he didn’t put in the ground, from plants he didn’t nurture and water.

If there’s anyone in the darkness and weeping of judgment, they’ll see our Lord at their side, even if the rest of us run away.

You want to know the true nature of the Triune God? It couldn’t be clearer. We see it not in the judgment of Zephaniah or the end of Jesus’ parable, but in the cross on which the Son of God died for love of the world, love of us.

Even the Master in this parable shows God’s true nature.

We get so stuck on the parable’s end we miss that the third slave was actually wrong. Jesus tells a story of a generous, gracious and trusting Master, not the caricature the slave feared. He entrusts huge amounts of money – millions in our dollars – to three of his slaves. Whatever he wanted them to do with it, he gave them great wealth to care for in his absence. This isn’t a mean-spirited master, this is a generous man who trusts his slaves with all his wealth. Think of the relationship with them such trust implies. Now, slave number 3 expects the worst. But look at the other two. They take the huge amounts entrusted to them and do something with them. When the master returns, they joyfully give it all back. He’s thrilled with them, offers them greater responsibility, invites them into his joy. This is a relationship of love and trust.

The truth is, the third slave had long been living in the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth already. He lived in fear, jealousy, bitterness, resentment. His problem is not the nature of his master; his problem is his own trapped nature. His friends had a very different life.

What if we just keep our eyes on the first two, then?

Why fret about number 3, unless we’re planning on copying him? Jesus will be with him and bring him out of the darkness, that’s what Jesus does.

But why choose to live our lives fearing God’s wrath, looking over our shoulder for a God who isn’t even wanting to harm us? Why choose to be bitter about God wanting us to use God’s wealth and gifts for God’s needs? Why choose to live our lives in darkness, ignoring the truth both about God’s gracious love and God’s incredible trust and generosity in giving us great wealth to share and care for? What do we gain by that path?

What would happen if we opened our eyes to the reality that, like these slaves, we have nothing except what God has entrusted to us – abilities and privilege, time and money – and all Jesus is interested in is that we use it to further God’s reign of justice and love? Living as the first two sounds like a path to life and joy.

“Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing,” Paul says.

That’s great wisdom. Let’s help each other remember this truth. We know the true nature of the Triune God is generous, trusting, forgiving, gracious. Even if we bury our gifts, even if we live our lives in darkness and fear, in that dark weeping we find our crucified and risen Lord next to us. Because God’s love is so deep and so great God always comes into our darkest places to find us and bring us home.

But why bury the gifts? Why selfishly hoard them as if they are ours? What would be the point of that? This of course is related to what we share with each other for our ministry here, what many of us are pledging to do for next year. We make promises mostly to God, but also to each other, that we will seek to use God’s entrusted wealth wisely, as God would dream. But it actually is about the fullness of our lives: every action we do, every dollar we spend, every word we say shows our understanding of God’s nature, whether it’s a true understanding or a false fear.

We encourage and build up each other by reminding ourselves of the astonishing truth about the nature of God, who loves us so deeply and has entrusted us with so much. Together we can learn what it is to use as much of it as possible to share with the world and participate in the reign of God now, until the age to come.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

New Eyes
Heightened anxiety, fear over being rejected by God, concern over the seeming over-reaction and punishment: the parables of Matthew 25 we hear in these three weeks stir up a lot of discomfort in us. So often I’ll hear, “I know we are in God’s grace, but I can’t get around these parables and the judgment that I hear.”

Why get around these parables? Look at what Jesus asks: be prepared for God’s justice by working in the world for God; use our God-given talents and gifts to make a difference; take care of all in need, who are dear to our Lord, who are our Lord. What’s frightening about any of that?

We’ve developed a bad habit over the millennia to think “law bad, Gospel good.” To pit judgment against grace, and see God’s law as a threat because we’ll be judged for not being able to do an impossible task. How, then, do we understand Psalm 119, a complex, long, beautiful hymn delighting in God’s law? It doesn’t stand alone; there is a strong chord in Scripture celebrating God’s law as gift, life.

We need to look at Jesus differently. He didn’t think God’s law impossible for us; he taught a deeper interpretation of it grounded in love, even claimed that with God’s help the impossible can be done. In these parables he gives us a path to walk that leads to a grace-filled, wonderful world. Look at the three tasks: imagine if we all lived them. Where’s the threat in that?

If we’re walking on a frozen lake, with a guide that knows the thick ice, we can listen and cross safely. Or we can stick to our own way and risk going through the ice. God’s law is the safe path, to life and home and a warm fire.

God’s grace pulls us up out of the water when we fall through the thin ice, sets us on the good path again. The question is, will we trust God knows the better way? That is, is God’s law a threat, or are we fighting unnecessarily against what is good for us, because it wasn’t our idea, our plan, our path?

This Sunday’s Adult ForumNovember 16:
“Introduction to the Gospel of Mark,” part 2 of a 3-part series presented by Pastor Crippen.

Bring Your Pledge Card

All Mount Olive households should now have received the Stewardship Committee’s letter and a pledge card. If possible, and if you haven’t already turned yours in, bring your completed card this Sunday, November 16. Additional cards will be available in the narthex—or ask an usher.

Although our letter said we’d be bringing our pledge cards to the chancel, we’ll instead put them in the plates passed during the offering—both to accommodate people who have mobility challenges and to respect some members who believe pledges should be presented in the same way as our gifts throughout the year.

Pledges are, of course, welcome anytime, but the committee hopes that most will be received by Sunday, November 30. After this coming Sunday, put them in the box in the narthex or leave them in the office.

To repeat the last line in the committee’s letter: “May we give humbly and joyfully, and from grateful and generous hearts!”

- Donn McLellanDirector of Stewardship

Praying for Others: Strands of Hope Necklace-Making Event
If you have been interested in the prayer shawl ministry but are not a knitter, this Strands of Hope necklace-making event might be a wonderful alternative for you. Using a kit of their color choice, participants will make a necklace to give to a person as a gift of encouragement, hope, or a heart to heart connection. As we add the beads to the strand we will intentionally pray for that person. Participants also make it for themselves to wear in memory of a dear one or in celebration of a special life event. If you don't have a person in mind but would like to participate, sign up and we'll help find a member of the church or community to receive your necklace. Cost is $14.

The event will be on November 21, 6:30 - 8:30 pm at Mount Olive. Instructor and refreshments provided. No jewelry making experience necessary. RSVP to Julie Manuel by November 18 to julie.a.manuel@gmail.com.

Book Discussion Group’s Upcoming Reads
For their meeting on December 13, the Book Discussion group will read Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. For the meeting on January 17, (postponed one week because of the Conference on Liturgy) they will read, The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield.

The Book of Esther: Thursday Evening Bible Study Continues
The second Thursday Bible study series of this year began on November 6, and runs for six weeks in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00-7:30 pm. (We will skip Thanksgiving).

Vicar McLaughlin is leading a study on the Book of Esther, exploring the historical context and many issues raised in this book, including justice, violence, power and privilege, the role of women, the presence of God, and what it means to be called “for such a time as this.”

As We Approach the Holiday Season ...
Here are some things to keep in mind – ways we can all participate in this season of giving:

• Give an offering to help fund the remainder of this year’s Diaper Depot and crisis budget - this is a beautiful and necessary way to directly help people with the burden of ongoing difficulty.

• Send a check or non-expired, non-perishable food or hygiene items to a local food shelf or bring them to our donation box in the coat room at church and they will get to the people who need them most.

• Keep praying, not only for those who struggle, but also for those who are helping others through their hardship and with gratitude for the generosity and compassion that is happening daily in our community.

• Be ready to help! Opportuni-ties abound and we will be cal-ling on YOU, so look for ways to be active, engaged, and present in our community.

A Note To All Ushers
As we finish our 4th quarter service, we'll be ramping back up into yet another quarter which will include several noon and evening services through the end of March and through Holy Week.

Again this year, we will need dedicated folks who can step up and make an effort to be at each of their assigned services. In the midst of our normal busy schedules, it's understandable that it is difficult to squeeze these extra services in. However, it might be worth considering that this is just part of the contemplative church seasons of winter and that perhaps we could sacrifice a little more time out of those schedules to keep the church central in our lives.

If you are absolutely unable to serve on an assigned day, please secure a substitute prior to the service you are scheduled and let Cha know of the schedule change so that it can be accurately reflected in the bulletin.

Consider Becoming Part of the Usher Corps!
Does it seem that you always see the same faces performing the usher duties at Mount Olive week after week? You're not imagining things. We have a central corps of only 24 Ushers, and of these, only 8 serve at the 8 am liturgy.

Many of our current Ushers are frequent travelers, are already serving at the altar, are working on weekdays, or have regrettably had to retire from the corps. We are in great need of a few new helping hands! Might that be you?! If you're a newer member and looking to become involved and to meet new people, or if you've just always considered helping out with this important task, please let me or anyone in the church office know and we'll have you trained and ushering easily by the 2nd quarter of 2015.

We are especially looking for a couple of folks who prefer starting their day early and helping out at the 8 am service.

- Brian Jacobs, Usher Coordinator

Help Needed!
The Mount Olive Altar Guild is looking for some additional people to help with cleaning the chancel in preparation for the Advent and Christmas season.

The cleaning will take place on Saturday, November 22 between the hours of 9 am and noon. If you are interested in helping, please contact Steve Pranschke at 612-803-0915 or hspranschke@gmail.com.

As the old saying goes, "Many hands make for light work". Please consider being a set of those
hands.

Thanks,- Steve Pranschke

Advent Procession ServiceSunday, November 30, 4:00 pm

As the year turns toward its darkest point, the Church also gathers in hope for the coming of the Light of the world.

In this Advent service of prayer and Word, song, and incense, Mount Olive’s Cantorei lead worshippers into this season of preparation and anticipation. Come, and wait, and see.

Gloves and Such
IT'S HERE!

Cold weather has arrived in Minnesota, and you can help keep precious hands and ears and bodies warm. Please bring new or gently used (and clean) hats, gloves, and scarves to the collection box outside the upstairs kitchen. There is also a great need for winter coats before it gets unbearable. The nearest Coats for Kids drop-off is at: Salvation Army, 1604 East Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55407 (612-721-1513) or any Kowalski's or Cub Food Store.

You may also bring coats to church and drop them off in the corner near the grocery cart for food donations. Thank you.

Vocal Master Class with Vern Sutton to be Held at Mount Olive
Singers from Twin City Voice Academy, Gary Wilson, Artistic Director, will present a Master Class with Vern Sutton at Mount Olive at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 23, 2014. Three of the singers have sung for us at liturgy several times in the past few months. Most of us know Vern Sutton as the great singer/actor from Minneapolis who has entertained and inspired many people for many years. Several years ago, Sir Tyrone Guthrie referred to Vern as the “finest musical theater actor on the American Theater stage.”

Several genres of music will be performed and it will be an enjoyable musical event for all! This event is free and open to the public.

‘Tis (Almost) the Season – to Shop the Art Shoppe
Our mailboxes, newspapers, and online activities are full of gift ideas, so we are already thinking of things to put under the tree! How about something truly unique?

The Art Shoppe has the most unusual and diverse selection of gifts which will delight recipients, all made by local artists. Go to the Midtown Global Market and find the Art Shoppe. Look, buy, and support the artists!

Bowing to the Holy: Reverent Worship and Justice in an Irreverent AgeSaturday, November 22, 20149:00 am 4:30 pmLutheran Church of the Redeemer, St. Paul, MN

This one-day ecumenical conference celebrates the organic connection between liturgical worship and communal justice. It is sponsored by Lutheran Church of the Redeemer (St. Paul) and her three daughter churches: Lutheran Church of the Resurrection (Roseville), Pilgrim Lutheran (St. Paul), and Mount Olive Lutheran (Minneapolis).

The keynote speaker will be The Right Reverend Melissa Skelton, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster, British Columbia. For full information and to download the brochure, visit http://www.redeemerstpaul.org/PDF/tfBowingtotheHoly.pdf

Advent Luncheon for Seniors to be Held Wednesday, December 3
Attention seniors! Be on the lookout for your invitation to the annual Advent Luncheon for seniors. They are in the mail!

If you are age 65 or older and do not receive an invitation, you’re invited, too! (It just means we don’t have your birth date.) Please call the church office and we will add you to the list of our senior members, and to the list of those who plan to come.

Every Church A Peace Church November Event
The next regular bimonthly meeting (NOT a potluck supper) will be on Monday, November 17, starting at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Landmark Center in St. Paul (75 W. Fifth Street, near Rice Park and the Ordway Theater. This event will be a joint meeting with the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers' 19th annual celebration.

The speaker will be Paul K. Chappell, Peace Leadership Director, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. His presentation is entitled, "Is World Peace Possible: The Anatomy of War and Peace."

Space for this event may be limited so reservations are recommended, and a $10 donation is suggested. For more information, please contact Mary Faulkner at: 612-823-5524 or rfofmplsmn@aol.com.

Thanksgiving Day EucharistThursday, Nov. 27, 10:00 a.m.

Bring non-perishable food items to help re-stock local food shelves. Monetary donations are especially welcome (for every $1 donated, food shelf personnel are able to buy about $9 worth of food!)

The entire offering received at the Eucharist on Thanksgiving Day will be given to Sabbathani Community Center and Community Emergency Services.

Home Care Holiday Kits for Our Savior’s Housing
Many residents of Our Savior’s Shelter have moved into the permanent Supportive Housing Program. These individuals have struggled with homelessness for years and are now finally settled into their very own apartment, which they are able to maintain with the support of Our Saviour's Housing Case Management. Holiday Home Care Baskets are a wonderful gift to help ease their budgets and maintain a beautiful and clean home of their own. Suggested items include:

You may also add additional personal and gift items such as socks, gift cards to Rainbow, Target, or Cub Foods, Metro Transit cards, personal hygiene items, candy, cookies, cocoa or snack mix, hats, gloves, slippers, etc. Bring these items to church in a laundry basket or reusable shopping bag, or just bring them to church in a bag or a box and we will prepare baskets with items collected.

Our Saviour’s currently has ninety residents in this program and would happily accept any number of baskets the people of Mount Olive are able to put together!

In order to deliver the baskets to each resident in time for the holidays, we are asking that all baskets be delivered to Mount Olive by Sunday, December 14. You can leave them in the coat room.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

We needn’t worry about our place in God’s love; however, Jesus, before his death and resurrection, grounded in that love for us, seems to have deep concerns about our awareness of our calling as children of God and our willingness to live in that calling and serve.Pr. Joseph G. Crippen Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary 32 A texts: Amos 5:18-24; Matthew 25:1-13

Sisters and brothers in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

We know preparation is key to a good party.

If you’re having guests to your house, there are things that need doing. The house needs to be deep-cleaned, clutter put away. Food needs to be purchased and prepared. Tables need setting, dishes need polishing. Candles might be needed. The guest list needs to be checked so no one is left out, invitations need to be issued. Parties don’t create themselves.

Why then are we so skittish about this parable? We shudder at the “I don’t know you” from the bridegroom. We don’t like the judgment on the careless ones. We, who claim the unlimited grace of God in Christ Jesus, hear this parable and cry out, or mutter, or think to ourselves, “This sounds pretty legalistic!”

Maybe we’re using that word to avoid the heart of what it means to be a disciple. If every time Jesus says something that remotely sounds like he’s asking us to do something we throw up the “legalism” defense, it’s worth asking what that says about us. If we believe salvation in Christ is only about our being loved by God, that the Son of God can have no expectations on us, that as long as we worship and hear that we are forgiven, we can do what we want with our lives, well. Can I introduce you to the prophet Amos? He had something to say about that.

We’re entering a challenging stretch these next three weeks. If we’re squeamish about Jesus calling us to tasks, our struggle only begins today. Just wait until we hear the next two parables and the prophetic words chosen to accompany them.

There are two typical ways Christians in this country seem to face these challenges. Today Jesus invites us to consider a third way, his way.

Our usual way is the approach of the grace people.

We believe we cannot earn God’s love, it’s ours already. We declare we have been claimed by God in baptism, made clean in the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, and have life with God now and forever. We read the Scriptures with this truth as our lens, our way of interpreting.

But sometimes when we grace people hear a parable like today’s we don’t like it. So we run away from it in fear, hoping we didn’t really hear it, or we happily ignore it. With the latter, sometimes people will even say Jesus likely didn’t tell this parable, it’s probably Matthew’s creation. Doesn’t sound like Jesus, we might say, so we’re free to dismiss it. If we live the fear option, we push this parable aside so we don’t have to consider it, hoping if we simply say it’s legalistic we can get to grace and not be troubled any more.

There are other Christians who take the approach of the judgment people.

The lens they use for Scripture is the lens of our sin. We’re awful people, they say, and Jesus has called us to straighten up and fly right. If we don’t do that, we’re in trouble. These Christians are seemingly happy to declare lots of people heading to hell for their sins, and grace, while proclaimed, seems to be only possible for those who never make mistakes.

When judgment people hear a parable like today’s it’s manna from heaven. Be prepared or you’ll be left out, they say. Sure, God forgives, but not if you’re not ready. Be wise and be ready and enjoy heaven, or be foolish and regret it in hell for eternity.

This begs the question: why don’t we want Jesus’ approach?

We who focus on grace want to say, “Why can’t we just know we’re loved by the Master and leave it at that?” Those who focus on judgment say, “Jesus is clear here: we’ve got things we have to do, job requirements.”

But our Master, if we look at everything he taught and did, including his death and resurrection, says this: “Why can’t I have both? I love you wholly and fully, with an eternal love. I set aside all my divine power and glory and went to the cross to open your hearts to my love. Risen from the dead, I forgive you of all things and welcome you to God’s party that will last forever.”

But then he says in this parable, “Can’t I also, grounded in that love, ask you to do your work and get ready for the party, ready for my rule, ready for my life in the world?”

This isn’t judgment, and it isn’t conditional. The love of God in Christ Jesus cannot be taken from us. But this parable points out a deeper reason for Jesus’ coming as one of us.

But Jesus came not only to forgive, he came to teach us how to live God’s true, abundant life. To show us how God will heal this world and bring the party of God’s new creation: by using the very people who made the mess to get the place cleaned up.

This is the heart of his teaching. Look at all the parables he tells of servants being awake and prepared at all times for their master’s return. They’re supposed to be about their jobs as they wait, keeping all things ready, so when the master comes back, he’ll find a clean house, clean sheets, full cupboards, and a fire in the fireplace.

Or as he says in this parable: God’s planning a party of life and restoration for this whole world. The Bridegroom, the Son of God, is the center of the party. Everyone’s invited, wise and foolish. But a good party needs preparation. Oil for the lamps, so the world in darkness is lighted up, so we can see each other’s faces in joy, so the procession can be festive and bright. The house of this world needs to be cleaned, food prepared enough for all, not just those who have it, and the guest list filled up to include every child of God on this planet. This is a huge party, this justice and peace of God. It’s going to take some doing.

It’s immature of us to run away from this work by falsely tying our eternal salvation to it. That’s what children do, blaming their parents for asking them to work in the life of the home, thinking that means their parents only love them when they do right.

God’s truth is, Jesus both loves us fully and unconditionally and at the same time asks us to be about our work to get ready for God’s great feast of hope and renewal. We know we are growing into maturity in Christ when we can hold both those truths together and rejoice in our Christly life.

Why the warnings, then? Why would Jesus tell parables with scary endings that imply if we fail we’re left out?

Jesus knew his prophets, knew Amos. Amos tells the people God hates all their worship, festivals, rituals, sacrifices. Amos shocks them into hearing God’s cry for justice by telling them God hates that they’re doing the very things God commanded them to do. They trusted in their worship, doing as told, but ignored the other commands. They neglected the starving poor, participated in crushing those who struggled under their rich lifestyle. They needed to wake up.

Jesus does the same as Amos. These parables from Matthew 24 and 25 are told privately to the disciples. They are insider warnings, intended to shake them from their comfort zone, wake them up, get them alert. They’re jolting because they’re supposed to be. Jesus knows human nature, and it’s as if he anticipated we’d ignore his call to preparedness and servanthood, simply resting in our forgiveness and doing nothing.

So he shakes us up a little, because of his central purpose: he repeatedly says he came to seek and to save the lost. He constantly ran into people who were lost but claimed they weren’t. So he’s waking his disciples up, shocking them to take his call seriously.

The minute they, or we, say, “Oh no, I’ve not been working for the kingdom, I’m probably not prepared, I’ve only taken care of myself, I’m in trouble,” at that moment we discover God’s grace. Then we learn firsthand Christ Jesus came to seek and to save us. When we know we have messed up, we need never worry that he’ll say “I don’t know you.” Because he’s looking for the lost, to bring them home. All we need to do is recognize we’re lost, we’re broken, we’re dead, and he’ll make us new, even in this life.

As long as we think we’ve got it all figured out, we need this parable to wake us up. So we can hear the good news that we are loved and get back to work getting ready for the party.

This parable is full of God’s grace: we, and all God’s children, are invited to the party God is making in this world and the next. That’s secure.

Now all that needs doing is to prepare for this party. So let’s be about it. We don’t know when the Bridegroom, our Lord, will return, so we’ll just keep the house clean, feed people, take care of things. We’ll make sure the invitation gets out to as many people as we can reach in our lifetime, and make sure no one thinks they’re not good enough for the guest list. We’ll take care of our little part of this world, and work toward God’s justice and peace, because it’s our job. And because we know we are loved by God eternally in Christ.

The wonder of God’s plan is that through such work of all God’s people, the justice and peace the Scriptures envision and promise will come to pass. That’s God’s great miracle, God’s delightful twist: as we prepare, do our jobs, the party comes into focus, even now, and continues forever.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Accent on Worship
As a tried and true Boy Scout, my father consistently spouted his 'nature-wisdoms' to his little kids as we traipsed around camping, fishing, hiking, and in all sorts of outdoor adventures. Among many, the saying that I find myself most commonly repeating now is, “you can always take it off, but you can’t put it on if you don’t have it.” You can take off that extra layer or gloves, but if you didn’t prepare to bring it along, tough luck. I remember the exact occasion while freezing in a fishing boat in Canada through the wind and rain when those words finally made sense. My dad did not hand me anything to wear, but he did remind me again of his words. Lesson learned. This theory can apply to most every life situation and has done me much good in being prepared for life’s twists and turns.

While reading the parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25, my father’s wisdom passes through my mind with a heavier consequence; you can always bring the oil home, but if you don’t bring it, your candle will go out, the door will be shut, and you will not be known! At some points in reading this story I question why the wise virgins did not give away some of their oil, although they are in the right for not also putting themselves at risk. What I do wish they had done is shared their wisdom and compassionately encouraged their sisters to be prepared – we do not know the day or the hour.

Often we do not even realize our foolishness until someone or some circumstance makes it blazingly clear. A parent, teacher, neighbor, or stranger can prompt us to question us about the ways our lives we are being ‘the wise’ or ‘the foolish’ one. And thank goodness for them! Are our eyes and ears open to what we can learn from one another and what opportunities we may have to teach?

As the body of Christ that finds forgiveness and healing and life through faith, how can we also reach out to others and kindly say, “Bring some extra oil. It might be a long night.”

This Sunday’s Adult Forum: November 9:
“Introduction to the Gospel of Mark,” part 1 of a 3-part series presented by Pastor Crippen.

Strands of Hope Night
Make a Strands of Hope necklace at a gathering of friends on November 21, 6:30 - 8:30pm at church. We will have fun and fellowship as we create a beautiful necklace from a kit. No experience necessary. The instructor will be Connie Marty and she will have all the tools we need for this project.

The pendant is a continuous strand (mobius strip) that weaves two hearts together. Sometimes we are the small heart and need others to wrap their arms around us and give us hope, love and compassion. Sometimes we are the large heart who can do that for others. Each kit has one random bead that the maker places wherever they choose to represent the rocks in the road that each of us face in life. We don't know what tomorrow brings but as we share our hearts and live out our faith we can face the boulders on the journey. Cost for materials is $14. To see what a Strands of Hope Necklace looks like or to check out colors, please visit www.strandsofhope.com.

For more information or to sign up please contact Julie Manuel at: julie.a.manuel@gmail.com.

‘Tis (Almost) the Season – to Shop the Art Shoppe
Our mailboxes, newspapers, and online activities are full of gift ideas, so we are already thinking of things to put under the tree! How about something truly unique?

The Art Shoppe has the most unusual and diverse selection of gifts which will delight recipients, all made by local artists. Go to the Midtown Global Market and find the Art Shoppe. Look, buy, and support the artists!

The Art Shoppe is a local enterprise conceived by A Minnesota Without Poverty and supported by Mount Olive.

Book Discussion Group’s Upcoming Reads
For their meeting on November 8 the Book Discussion Group will read Flight Behavior, by Barbara Kingsolver, and for their meeting on December 13, they will read Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen.

The Book of Esther: Bible Study Begins This Week!
The second Thursday Bible study series of this year begins this Thursday, November 6, and runs for six weeks in the Chapel Lounge from 6:00-7:30 pm. (We will skip Thanksgiving).

Vicar McLaughlin will lead a study on the Book of Esther, exploring the historical context and many issues raised in this book, including justice, violence, power and privilege, the role of women, the presence of God, and what it means to be called “for such a time as this.”

As usual, there will be a light supper when we begin. If anyone wishes to provide the first meal, please let Vicar McLaughlin know.

Thanksgiving Day Eucharist: Thursday, Nov. 27, 10:00 a.m.

Bring non-perishable food items to help re-stock local food shelves. Monetary donations are especially welcome (for every $1 donated, food shelf personnel are able to buy about $9 worth of food!)

The entire offering received at the Eucharist on Thanksgiving Day will be given to Sabbathani Community Center and Community Emergency Services.

Advent Procession ServiceSunday, November 30, 4:00 pm

As the year turns toward its darkest point, the Church also gathers in hope for the coming of the Light of the world.

In this Advent service of prayer and Word, song and incense, Mount Olive’s Cantorei lead worshippers into this season of preparation and anticipation. Come, and wait, and see.

Gloves and Such
IT'S COMING!

Cold weather is on its way to Minnesota, and you can help keep precious hands and ears and bodies warm. Please bring new or gently used (and clean) hats, gloves, and scarves to the collection box outside the upstairs kitchen. There is also a great need for winter coats before it gets unbearable. The nearest Coats for Kids drop-off is at: Salvation Army, 1604 East Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55407 (612-721-1513) or any Kowalski's or Cub Food Store.

You may also bring coats to church and drop them off in the corner near the grocery cart for food donations. Thank you.

Empty Bowls is a local project that gathers neighbors and community members to help end hunger. Come and choose a hand-made artisan bowl, fill it with homemade soup and bread, and share in a meal in recognition of those whose bowls are empty.

Proceeds from Empty Bowls go to support local food shelves. The suggested donation for regular bowl is $20, but any donation is accepted and appreciated. Gather some friends, family or neighbors and support this effort in our neighborhood! I'll be there myself around 4pm if you want a buddy. For more information, visit the Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association’s website at
http://ppna.org/peb/

Can you go one step further and help make this event happen? There is a need for a set-up crew the evening before on Thursday Nov. 6, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm. If you're willing and available, please contact me at neighborhood@mountolivechurch.org or call 612-827-5919 for sign-up information.- Anna Kingman Coordinator of Neighborhood Outreach and Ministry

Bowing to the Holy: Reverent Worship and Justice in an Irreverent AgeSaturday, November 22, 20149:00am 4:30pmLutheran Church of the Redeemer, St. Paul, MN

This one-day event is an ecumenical conference celebrating the organic connection between liturgical worship and communal justice organized by Lutheran Church of the Redeemer (St. Paul) and her three daughter churches: Lutheran Church of the Resurrection (Roseville), Pilgrim Lutheran (St. Paul), and Mount Olive Lutheran (Minneapolis).

The keynote speaker will be The Right Reverend Melissa Skelton, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster, British Columbia.

For full information and to download the brochure, visit http://www.redeemerstpaul.org/PDF/tfBowingtotheHoly.pdf.

Advent Luncheon for Seniors to be Held Wednesday, December 3
Attention Seniors! Be on the lookout for your invitation to the annual Advent Luncheon for Seniors. They will be in the mail soon!

2015 Pledge Cards
A letter and pledge card for 2015 was sent to Mount Olive members this week. The Stewardship Committee would like to have all pledge cards returned by November 30, either to the church office or placed in the designated box in the narthex.

As We Move Into the Holiday Season...
Not only are we preparing for the cold weather, but with it comes the holiday season. Usually joyful, festive, and meaningful time of year, for a struggling family or individual it can be uniquely difficult and stressful. The calls have already been coming in to the office about Thanksgiving meals and help with toys for children for Christmas. What are some we can respond, you ask?

•Give an offering to help fund the remainder of this year’s Diaper Depot and crisis budget - this is a beautiful and necessary way to directly help people with the burden of ongoing difficulty.

•Send a check, non-expired, non-perishable food or hygiene items to a local food shelf or bring them to our donation box in the coat room at church and they will get to the people who can use them best.

•Keep praying, not only for those who struggle, but also for those who are helping others through their hardship and gratitude for the generosity and compassion that is happening daily in our community.

•Be ready to help! Opportunities will be coming and we will be calling on YOU, so check in for ways to be active, engaged, and present in our community.

Home Care Holiday Kits for Our Saviour’s Housing
Many residents of Our Savior’s Shelter have moved into the Permanent Supportive Housing Program. These individuals have struggled with homelessness for years and are now finally settled into their very own apartment, which they are able to maintain with the support of Our Saviour's Housing Case Management. Holiday Home Care Baskets are a wonderful gift to help ease their budgets and maintain a beautiful and clean home of their own. Suggested items include:

You may also add additional personal and gift items such as socks, gift cards to Rainbow, Target, or Cub Foods, Metro Transit cards, personal hygiene items, candy, cookies, cocoa or snack mix, hats, gloves, slippers, etc. You can bring these items to church in a laundry basket or reusable shopping bag, or just bring them to church in a bag or a box and we will prepare baskets with items collected.

Our Saviour’s currently has 90 Residents in this program and would happily accept any number of baskets the people of Mount Olive are able to put together! In order to deliver the baskets to each resident in time for the holidays, we are asking that all baskets be delivered to Mount Olive by Sunday, December 14. You can leave them in the coat room.

Capital Campaign Update

As of November 3, 2014:
Total pledges and/or funds received: $89,000 (55% of campaign goal of $162,000)
Percent of households that have pledged to the Capital Campaign: 28%

The Capital Campaign appeals will end on December 31, so there's still plenty of time to pledge or donate. We would like to have all pledges in by the end of the year, although you may continue to pay on your pledge as long as you need.

Remember that the purpose of this campaign is two-fold:
•to fully fund our reserve/designated accounts and sequester them from the general operating budget;
•to establish a cash reserve that can help us weather the peaks and valleys of income throughout the year and negate the need to dip into an expensive line of credit to cover operating expenses.